With upcoming release of 533MHz FSB (front-side bus)-based Pentium 4 processors, volume shipments of supporting motherboards are expected to begin in the first week of May. However, motherboard makers said that whether the new products will be able to boost demand will only be more clearly determined after the Computex Taipei exhibition in early June. Meanwhile, compatible 845E, 845G and 845GL chipsets are expected to be delivered in the last week of April. Second-tier board makers said that Intel’s direct accounts, such as first-tier motherboard makers Asustek Computer, Gigabyte Technology and Micro-Star International (MSI), currently have no problem securing enough new chipsets, but that has not been the case for second-tier manufacturers. According to sources, major distributors, from whom second-tier companies usually purchase chipsets, have received merely 10,000 units for each of the three chipset lines. Board makers thought that the initial shortage of new P4 chipsets was perhaps due to distributors’ previously conservative order placements. However, they have not ruled out the possibility that the situation is the result of Intel’s protective measures favoring first-tier companies.